Light House Studio

Rachael's help was essential for our project, being a substantial remodelling of our first floor and ground floor, with structural alterations. Our numerous discussions and her drawings and guidance and assistance with planning and obtaining structural engineering input has made the difference between it happening or not happening. Thank you Rachael.

We had the pleasure of using Rachael's drawings during a project in King's Worthy. The level of details and attention during the planning stages made our life on site so much easier and smoother. She was always available over the phone for any queries and a we are now referring her to all of our new clients. Highly recommended!!

We engaged Rachael to design a small extension for our new build bungalow. We were fairly sure what we wanted but Rachael listened to our requirements and presented us with a couple of options which looked, on the drawings, to be a better fit with our property than the design we had envisaged. Rachael guided us through the process, clearly outlining each step based on RIBA protocols and presenting a clear indication of costs at each stage. The planning process went very smoothly with planning permission being granted without any difficulty. Our builder commented that the detailed drawings provided were very good, evidenced by the fact that the build went smoothly. All materials were specified to match the original house and consequently the extension, now completed, fits perfectly with and enhances the original building. We would have no hesitation in recommending Rachael, she was at all times very professional and meticulous and we are extremely happy with the end product.

The project fully opened up the rear of the house which was for us quite daunting. However Rachael helped us as we moved through the process. With her help we smoothly negotiated local planning, surveying and structural engineers. What could have been fraught went calmly and now we have a beautiful sunny extension. Recommended.

I have a very ordinary looking 1960s built detached house, for which I wanted a first floor bathroom extension to the front elevation. Light House Studio listened carefully to my ideas, particularly in view of wanting something different than the usual. Rachel produced a suitable design which I approved and more importantly the planning office approved. I physically built the extension myself but not being fully experienced I needed regular contact and assistance which Rachel was glad to provide. Despite the build starting during the tougher times of Covid, this preventing Rachel from visiting the site, I was still able to progress with minimum delay. Her technical knowledge was a phone call away and although I may have presented something of a nuisance with my repeated questions, Rachel took this in her stride, always pleasant and helpful on each occasion. I have no hesitation in recommending Rachel for any architectural or building design needs you may have.

Lovely, lovely Rachel. Helpful, informed, imaginative, dedicated, enthusiastic. We were delighted with all the work she did for us. Can happily recommend:)

Over and above service. We had a slight problem with our planning application before we came to Rachael and this time I couldn’t believe the difference. We had a redesign and submit and it was handled so well and explained so carefully all the way through. I loved my choice of designs and couldn’t be happier thank you.

In 2021 we moved to a rural village, to a cottage built 130 years ago. We had a vague plan to modernise the rear of the house to make better use of space and light, while removing an old conservatory with potential for an extension, and retaining the original cottage look. Rachael was immediately enthusiastic about our project. She undertook an early site visit, and soon started to make suggestions, offering us fresh ideas. This was challenging for us because our "vague plan" now needed to be firmed up. Rachael was excellent through this process, helping us to see what was possible, and . In short, she made us think! She then drew up some excellent plans that really made sense to us. We have found Rachael to be easy to communicate with, and responds to our queries in timely fashion. We also like her clear price structure, and while she has a network of Surveyors and Engineers to offer, she does not push for us to use "her" people for any particular service. We can certainly recommend Rachael Smith and the Light House Studio.

As we went through the design and planning process, Rachael was very informative, provided feedback and shared past experiences for consideration with the aim to ensure that the end goal is ultimately what you desire. i would thoroughly recommend her.

Had the pleasure working with Rachael on several projects and her understanding of 3D architectural visualisation both technical and aesthetics along with attention to details played fundamental part of the projects completion to the highest possible standard.

We are just beginning the journey with Light House Studio and to date are very impressed. Rachel was onboard immediately with the idea of replacing a very dated conservatory with ground floor extension fully opening on two sides into the garden with a terrace/balcony on first floor to enjoy last of the evening sun. Our neighbours were not happy with the plan and actively campaigned to get planning permission refused. Rachel worked to address all the concerns raised and liaise with pre-planning to cover all bases. Although pushed to committee the project was approved and we are looking forward to working with Light House Studio to get the project completed.

Rachael has been immensely helpful since I engaged with her last summer. I really didn’t know what I wanted other than extending the back of the house to make a larger kitchen diner, but maintain a separate area for a lounge/study, since WFH is the new norm. She created 4 design concepts and I’m hoping to get planning permission granted for my favourite design on Wednesday of next week. She has great vision and very helpful. If you want something with a bit of a wow factor than I would highly recommend Rachael. I can’t wait to get started on the build, hopefully later this summer. No hesitations in recommending her.

We asked Rachael to do drawings for our side and back extension, we were really impressed with the quality. She came round pretty quickly after we got in touch (pre lockdown) and luckily we were able to go through planning and start the build with no issues. Would happily recommend Rachael or use for any further projects!

We are currently working with Rachael to build a single storey extension on our house. She has been great to work with, always willing to help and the design looks great. And we got through planning without any hassle.

We are planning to demolish a small detached garage and single storey side extension and replace with a two storey side extension with reconfiguration of the rest of the property. The plot is extremely small and enclosed on multiple sides. Rachael guided us through the Design and Planning process taking into account consideration of light and sight for our neighbors. The final agreed plans look great and we are extremely pleased that we have obtained planning permission. We would not hesitate to recommend Rachael to anyone requiring a diligent and professional architect.

Excellent, efficient and informative service throughout the entire process. Rachaels wealth of experience guided us through from initial ideas to planning consent. Always available on phone or email to answer any questions, offer guidance and amend plans until final design was complete. Highly recommended.

We are renovating and extending our 1930s bungalow with a view to replacing the garage with a spacious kitchen dining area. Rachael has guided us through the building application process as well as providing welcome ideas and potential options. She has kept us informed of all developments even during the lockdown period and ensured that the project did fall behind schedule. We would not hesitate to recommend Rachael to anyone who needs the services of an architect and if we ever need an architect again, she would be the first person we would call.

I am a freelance architect and Light House Studio undertook a Feasibility Design Report for me as a sub consultant architect as I needed some assistance to manage my workload. This early stage report showed options for the renovation including CAD plans and sketch 3D visuals; existing and demolition drawings, design reference images, and kitchen layout. It was produced to a high quality and the client was pleased with the outcome. I then took over the design for the next project stage. Rachael is not only a professional, but also a considerate architect and I would highly recommend her to any potential client.

We are planning to renovate our 1930s semi to create a light, bright kitchen/diner/living area and decided to use Rachael to help us with the planning of this project. Rachael has been a true professional from our very first meeting and ongoing with our project. Her ideas and input have been really helpful and all work up to the current stage has been done to a high standard. Rachael is very helpful with explaining all the stages and processes to us as we have never had building work done before. We look forward to working with her throughout the rest of the project and to see the end results.